US congresswoman Jeanette Rankin speaks from the headquarters of the National American Women Suffrage Association, 1917. Three years later, American women had the right to vote. Photo: Library of Congress.
This post originally appeared on March 8, 2015 on the Global Fund for Women's Her Blueprint blog.
There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.
~ Maya Angelou
Today celebrates International Women’s Day, a 104-year old tradition, honoring women’s social, economic, and political achievements and calling for greater equality and recognition of women’s rights. Its history dates back to the suffragette movement in the United States, when women took to the podiums and the streets, demanding the right to vote.
You may remember that my first post for Her Blueprint,The Power of Voice, shared my experience introducing a public speaking training, grounded in the right to self-expression, to a group of Maasai and Kalenjin women in Kenya — and the transformative effect such training had on them and their community. To continue reading, please click here.